The Gem
by SirenMistress
Summary: FTL AU. Dark!Emma. Swan Queen. Emma must find her Gem within a month before the open circle or be stripped of her powers forever. follow Emma on her journey for the search of her other half, her true love before time runs out.
1. Prologue

**Please excuse spelling errors as some of the words are spelt differently in South Africa as they are elsewhere. On a lighter note enjoy!**

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There are five of us in total, we are all seated at a circular table, which they refuse to acknowledge is exactly the same as saying the round table, but these four women are as stubborn as they are beautiful.

"Emma" one of them started "You are well aware that we have called you here regarding your recent behavioural patterns" she paused for a moment and looked directly at me, I swear to God if she's seeing into my soul or something…

"Emma?" another asked, obviously to test whether I understood or not

"Yes, yes" I threw back at them. I can feel the anger burning in my belly, a familiar feeling, an old friend, but now I must prove to them that I can control my emotions and thus my magic.

"Emma, we care for you, that is why we worry about you" I could feel the sincerity of those words bouncing off my chest, yet I keep my head down and continue to focus on that miscoloured piece of blue wood on the table. I don't know why I do it, but I just cannot bring myself to look at them when they have these types of meetings with me, which I realise now have become more frequent.

"Emma, sweetie, we're not here to hurt you and we're not disappointed in you, we just want what is best for you, so if you wouldn't mind looking up…"

I raised my head, adhering to the stern but loving voice, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Now, there's that pretty face" I couldn't help but smile right back at the four of them, all looking at me with love and adoration, how they manage to bring me to my happy place every time I will never know.

"Now, sweetie, the reason we called you here is because your magic is something you have a hard time controlling and it's not a bad thing, you've only been with us for two years and you are making very good progress but…" she trailed off, I could see the confliction marking her features, her blue eyes crinkling with thought. Shaking her head, she placed both her hands on the table and pushed her chair back "I can't do this, I just can't…" she got up then and disappeared through the door, her long blonde hair swooshing behind her.

"Elsa!" Someone called after her; I didn't bother to know who because my mind was reeling with all the possibilities of why someone as loving as Elsa would run out so… upset.

"Why does she have to be so emotional?" I looked across the table then and saw yet another of us five push her chair back, her dark skin glowing under the candlelight chandelier and leave the room with only her purple gown trailing behind her.

"Um, I better check on Sophia, uh, Emma" I looked to the third then, to receive a smile and a huge thumbs up before she too, half-ran half-walked out of this awkward situation.

"It's just you and me then" my eyes dragged across the surface of the wall it's just been implanted on, to make eye contact with the hottest one of them all, I mean chiselled features, strong jawline, auburn hair and green eyes that could literally look into your very being.

"Yes" I drawled, trying not to be majorly turned on by the authority oozing of her aura.

"Well would you mind terribly if we walked and talked?" she asked with a slight tilt to her head

"No of course not, Nefret" I coolly replied

We walked in silence through the gardens that Callie kept amazingly beautiful, until -

"Emma" she broke it.

"Yes" I breathed

"There is something serious that we all have been meaning to discuss with you, obviously it looks like I'm the only one capable of delivering such news of this delicate nature, but nevertheless, it is a topic I unfortunately have to speak to you about"

"Okay, this sounds bad" I said

"No, dear, nothing of the sort, its just that, well recently you've been having trouble with your magic"

"Recently" I scoffed then at the ridiculousness of the statement "I've always had problems controlling my magic"

"Yes" Nefret said with a soft smile "But it's been two years Emma. We have given you everything you need to learn how to handle things and we realise now that the problem isn't with the magic, its with your emotions and that is no fault of yours, so we have come up with a solution, which I'm not sure you are going to like"

"Uh oh!" I feigned fear going as far as to cower from Nefret in an attempt to lighten the mood

"Emma, this is serious"

"Right, right I'm listening, lay it on me"

"You need balance Emma, stability and the only way you can gain that is to find your Gem"

"Find my Gem? But that could take ages!"

"We understand that but you need to be able to control all those emotions, which you feel strongly and the only way that you will be able to control your emotions as well as your magic is if you literally halve it and your Gem can do exactly that"

"I know what the Gem does, Nefret! I also know that this solution is a long haul, how do we even know that I won't find my Gem when I'm old and grey running naked everywhere because I'm senile?!"

"Because you won't." I looked at Nefret then realisation of what she said dawning on me.

"No…" I started

"Emma you are an elemental, one of five and you being the heart and soul of fire makes you that much more powerful and that much more dangerous. So we all have come together and decided that we will hold an open circle"

"no, no, no" I keep repeating the word like a mantra over and over as Nefret speaks

"It's the year of Earth, so we will be holding this function in Callie's castle, all the elementals will be residing there for a month. In that month Emma, you will be free to travel and interact personally with people, there will be no restrictions"

"Don't do this, please Nefret" tears are streaming down my face, I never cry but this, this deserves nothing less than heart breaking sobs.

"Emma, please" Nefret's hands are on my shoulders now, in an attempt to calm me down most probably. "We will be having the Gem ritual publicly, instead of privately as we normally do, if at that time you have not found your Gem, then your powers will be stripped from you"

"I'm sorry Emma, I know it's unfair, but you're the only one of us that hasn't found her Gem as yet"

"I don't wanna…" I managed to choke out

"I know you believe love is pain, but you either find your true love, your soul mate within this month or you are no longer an elemental"

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**Tell me what you thought of this and drop me a P.M or leave a review. Oh and for those avid Evil Regals (like myself) don't worry our Queen will make an appearance soon. If you picked up some of the other elementals you would have realised that Callie from Grey's is the Earth Elemetal, Nefret from the house of night books is the Spirit elemental and Elsa is the Water elemental. **


	2. The Red Head

**A/N: Finally I managed to finish this chapter, it was extremely hard to write. thank you for all the reviews, favs and follows, it's really appreciated!**

**WARNINGS: Abuse of a minor.**

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I look out to the balcony from where I'm sitting and see the most incredible view of wild untamed forest. I close my eyes and I can feel the serenity of the chaos ease my muscles and allow me to further relax into this coma I've somehow put myself into.

It's been two days since the Elementals have decided my fate and I haven't moved from the chair I plonked myself onto from then. I can sense the servants tension when they come into the room, unsure as how to act, I pity them though for they haven't seen me comatose , angry mostly, happy even, on rare occasions but this… oh this is a test for them indeed.

"Mistress" A tame, fearful voice asks. I keep my eyes closed, a small smile gracing my features at the tremble in his voice. "Mistress, you haven't eaten"

I'm conflicted. This poor man is the only servant brave enough to speak to me, about my health no less and yet he is stupid enough to speak to me about something so trivial when I obviously do not care much for food at this stage. My hands itch to slap him, to punish him for everything, I yearn for the anger to take over, but another part of me wants revel in the absolute humane attention he gives me.

I open my eyes and turn towards him, I can see the sweat building in his forehead and drop lightly onto his brow, he makes no move to swipe it away, clearly afraid that I would lash out at the sudden movement. I take a moment to study him and find him exceptionally appealing to the eye, tousled brown hair, deep brown eyes and a strong jaw "What is your name?" I ask.

He seems surprised at the question but the relief in his eyes evident when he answers simply "Graham, Mistress… my name is Graham"

"No last name?" I enquire, curiosity burning.

"I was raised by wolves, Mistress, they are my family and therefore I have no last name"

Something about Grahams Irish accent and not so subtle glances at my cleavage just makes me want to play again, and when I set the board up for a game, oh… I'm sure to win. "Oh… how unfortunate" I moved then for the first time in two days and placed my fingers under Graham's chin, his beard tickling my fingers. "How can such a pretty boy like yourself not have a last name, huh?" I moved my hand from under his chin and ran it along his jaw, mapping out his face like my playground "Tell you what, prove yourself worthy and I just might give you one" I moved my face closer to his, pleased at how his pupils dilated confirming his arousal and breathed "Do you think you can _do_ that?"

Graham responded with a quick nod of his head, so eager to please and so confident. Dare I say there was a sinister smile on my lips when I pulled away and said "Good, then be a dear and fetch me a girl, preferably a red head" he didn't move immediately, but bolted from the room when I slowly raised my eyebrows signalling my annoyance.

Breathing in deeply, I centred myself and mentally prepared for the torture of having to put up with masses of people for an entire month. Luckily I had a week in my own kingdom before I had to depart to Callie's castle which is in the Enchanted Forest. Looking at it now a week doesn't seem like a lot of time, there's so much that needs to be done, someone needs to be able to run the Kingdom while I'm away and dear lord I have to do research on the Gem.

"Mistress, the girl you asked for"

But for now, I'd rather indulge in simpler pleasures.

"Good, then leave us!" my voice rang like thunder in the empty room and I could just feel the girl shiver at the authority of it.

I sat up and stretched, arching my back in pleasure at the relief my joints felt finally moving about. I knew the girl I'd completely disregarded was watching me with keen eyes and if my red figure hugging dress was anything to go by and the undeniable smell of arousal she's definitely enjoying this little show I'm giving her.

Red head aside, I haven't attended to any of my needs in two days, which unfortunately included personal hygiene.

Walking to the lavish bathroom, I'm actually pleased to find the large bathing pool already filled with steaming hot water. It looks so inviting I could just fall into it with my clothes on and float on my back until kingdom come, but I can't possibly give up on my own little game now. So I ease out of my dress at an agonisingly slow pace, it's made of a stretchy velvet fabric so it easily slides off my shoulders and slithers down to my ankles, leaving me in only my black stilettos and tumbling blonde curls. My shoulder blades itch with the heated stare the girl has on me, but I ignore it and step into the waiting waters making it ripple with my intrusion.

Once I'm settled in and the water has soothed the tension in my muscles, I turn around and have a look at my new toy. She's so ordinary I have to bite back my laughter, small built, green eyes, unruly red hair and a sprinkle of freckles on her cheeks that give her just the hint of cuteness. I'm ready to play now and she knows it, but still she acts naïve, choosing to keep her gaze lowered after she shamelessly watched me strip to nothing.

"Come here!" I demand. She looks up then, the anticipation of whatever is about to happen evident as the smell of her arousal gets stronger. She eventually reaches me, her fingers knotting in the fabric of her apron nervously.

"Beautiful, absolutely beautiful" I say, biting my lower lip "Don't you think so?" I ask ever so innocently

"Mistress…" she replies, blushing red with her voice barely matured

"How old are you?"

"I am to be of sixteen years in the fall, Mistress"

This makes me pause. She's not old enough for what I have planned, but losing this opportunity to break yet another poor soul, no that is one I shall not waste.

"Why don't you help me? It seems that in my haste to bathe I have forgotten to remove my shoes, silly me" I turn on the sweetness; let my voice drip with fake candy only to break her teeth when she bites it.

"Don't worry I do that all the time too" she grins at me big and wide, it's a lie a blatant one and I have to grit my teeth together to stop myself from harming this poor child. She thinks we're friends and formalities are no longer needed, it seems breaking this one will be much easier than anticipated.

She steppes fully clothed into the water then, her neck and cheeks competing with her hair as they turn more red with each step she takes toward my naked body. The water obscures her view but there is enough material given for her imagination to run wild, to add fuel to the fire I pick my leg up and out of the water and rest it on her shoulder. Her eyes scan the length of my leg dripping wet and roam lower to where my crotch now spreads open for her view only.

"Do you like what you see, girl?"

"Oh, uh, I was just…" she fumbles with the buckle on my shoe but manages to release my aching feet from its prison.

"Oh, it's alright" I pick up my other leg and place it on her other shoulder, while I bring my right leg back down into the warmth of the water "You can tell me exactly what you desire, why else would I be the Fire Mistress?"

I could see the wheels turning in her head as she freed my other foot from the killer heel. She looked toward me, with fire in her eyes; I could feel the heat rolling off her in waves. Stupid little girl.

She launched herself at me then, bringing my leg with her as it curled over her shoulder. She crashed her lips to mine painfully and dug her fingers into my thigh, I dint have nearly enough time to push her away or hell even think before she ground her clothed hips into my naked and exposed cunt. God it felt glorious, to be touched like I mattered, but I am the Fire Mistress and no one touches me without my permission.

Her tongue probed at my mouth and I opened it slightly to allow her entrance, as soon as the wet muscle had invaded my space I bit down… hard, the metallic taste of blood soon filled my mouth and the Red Head jumped back in horror. I smiled then, a wicked smile that showed my blood stained teeth and her heartbroken expression just made me burn with satisfaction.

"No one touches me without my permission" I growled

"But-" she gurgled

"But Nothing! Now get down on your knees and beg for my forgiveness"

She looked at me and then at the water that surrounded us and silently questioned my command with her eyes, I only wiped away a smear of her blood on my lips and raised my eyebrows at her in challenge. She started to cry then, whether from the pain of her tongue being bitten or the shock of her situation or more likely that the Fire Mistress was really the cruel monster all have warned her about.

Lowering her eyes in defeat she started to kneel down into the water, she looked right at me as her shoulders, neck and then entire face started to disappear into the now bloody water and I don't have to look down to know that she's cursing her fate while she cries all the salt in her body away.

My smile literally split my face in two as I see her descend into the waters hoping that by her submission I would somehow realise that I have goodness in my heart and accept her love. Well, while almost suffocating to death at least she's also enjoying a lovely view of my naked body and if I'm not mistaken, resisting the urge to touch me again.

It's been over a minute and I can see little bubbles rising up to my abdomen, signalling she's almost out of air and I'm proven right when she starts to come up to the surface, but I calmly place my foot on her shoulder and hold her firmly in place. She grabs at my foot trying to push me away, trying to get in some much needed air into her lung. It feels as if I'm fighting a deadly Shark for about a minute as she scratches and grabs at me with all her might, but I stay still, the little pain I feel at her attempts to hurt me healing the instant it's inflicted. It's only when her attacks become weaker and she seizes all movement do I remove the offending foot from her shoulder.

She comes up coughing and spluttering trying to push the water out of her lungs and put air into it at the same time, it's quite comical watching the girl flap her arms and cry out in pain. Water gets in her mouth and mixes with her blood; she spits it out in pain adding to my bath, which looks much like a diluted war zone.

I'm bathing in the blood of a virgin, which sounds like one of those old wives tales they tell about me, that apparently helps me look so seductive and I can't help but find it funny so I laugh, loud and unabashedly. The walls vibrate with the unusual sound and draw the attention of the girl once more to me. She sucks the air in shallow breaths and stares at me with pure fear. I look to her then a small smile on my face as I see the state I've left her in. her hair is plastered to her face, her mouth bloodied and swollen and her clothes cling to her body as if to cower from my presence alone.

"Breath dear, air is for free" I tell her after I calm down, the smile still on my face

Feeling my fingers start to wrinkle, I magic away the water and myself a leather ensemble , one that fits deliciously to my curves but has a long black cape to give it a sense of decency. The girl stood there sopping wet, with a swollen tongue and yet I was still not completely satisfied. I looked at her carefully, looked into her eyes and remembered.

Anger burned at the pit of my belly, coiling itself up and around my chest, I breathed in deep and heavy, setting a scowl on my face, my fist clenched at my sides, flexing and relaxing with each breath.

The girl brought back memories of the Gem and more importantly the Elementals. How dare they suggest I be tied to someone for the rest of my life, they say the Gem will give me balance, stability and love. Love is nothing more than a painful endurance I have to witness while others use it as an excuse to procreate. Love is nothing more than a fiction and the Gem, well, that's a fake too and I'll be damned if they force me to love someone I'd rather kill than be tied to.

I walked towards the girl, like a panther stalking its prey, she cowered from me, taking a step back for every step I took forward. Her back slammed against the bath wall making her groan in both fear and agony. I reached her easily pressing my front against hers, feeling the warmth I craved so much earlier, but I reminded myself that as lovely as she is, she is also too young to experience such pleasures. Skipping the foreplay then I grabbed a hold of her long red hair, silky to the touch so beautiful to the eye. I lost all sense of control and looked at her with such hatred in my eyes that they burned red.

"Do you know why I called for a Red Head, hmm?" the girl shook her head in the negative cringing at the tight hold I had on her locks "Well, you see, your hair" I tugged harder on it making her squirm "Is a reminder that I will never be good enough, that I will never find the Gem in time. You red heads are all the same, fiery, desirable, unpredictable, everything I represent and soon enough it will be ripped away from me, because I am hard to love, oh, but you poor little girl have fire and someday a nice young man will have your hand and you will be happy, you deserve happiness do you not? ANSWER ME DAMNIT! Do you deserve happiness?"

"Y-Yesss" she spluttered, blood splashing my face making me angrier than before

"No you don't, because you are a cheap and unworthy whore" I whispered into her face

"And beauty doesn't belong to whores now do they"

She shook her head pain evident in her face as she moved within my tight grasp of her hair

"Good" I responded and yanked back with all my might, I could feel the threads of hair weakening as they broke and bent to my will, I pulled back as hard as I could muster, my anger fuelling my already inhumane strength. The girl streamed out in agony as I tore her most of her hair from her scalp. She slunk down into the empty bath her hands holding onto her bleeding and bald head. I almost felt sorry for her when she looked up at me with those big tearful eyes and bloodied face, almost.

Suddenly feeling uneasy I threw her hair back at her and bent down to take the girl in my arms, I held her close, tears escaping my own eyes as I saw myself in her. I rocked us back and forth in a comforting gesture and spoke softly into her blood coated ear.

"This is how I'll feel when they strip me of my fire too, battered and broken, I'll feel empty, nowhere to belong. I won't feel as beautiful or confident, I won't be loved or cherished, I'll just be that person people used to pretend to love. Imagine someone as damaged as me trying to love someone, can you imagine it, girl? What a sorry sight that would be… finding my Gem, it's what I'll have to do now wont I?"

I pulled away from the girl, stood up and looked down at her, she looked up at me with hope in her eyes, but it quickly vanished when I lit a fireball in my hand and whispered "Because I don't want to feel like how you're feeling now" before I lit her body alight and teleported myself into the library with her piercing screams echoing behind me.

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**Thoughts? leave a review. just thought I'd show you how dark Emma really is... Don't worry Evil Regals, the Queen is never late, everyone else is simply early.. she'll be here, soon.**


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